Let 'Er Buck!: George Fletcher, the People's Champion

by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

"Nelson plaits her narrative with Western lingo and homespun similes. . . . James' painterly oils swirl with energy, visible daubs creating the dusty, monumental landscape and equally monumental horses and humans. . . . A champion indeed." ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
The true tale of a cowboy's epic rodeo ride from acclaimed author Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and Caldecott Honoree Gordon C. James.
In 1911, three men were in the final round of the famed Pendleton Round-Up. One was white, one was Indian, and one was black. When the judges declared the white man the winner, the audience was outraged. They named black cowboy George Fletcher the "people's champion" and took up a collection, ultimately giving Fletcher far more than the value of the prize that went to the official winner. Award-winning author Vaunda Micheaux Nelson tells the story of Fletcher's unlikely triumph with a western flair that will delight kids―and adults―who love true stories, unlikely heroes, and cowboy tales.

Genres: Biography, Picture Books, Nonfiction, History, Childrens, Sports, African American

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2019

About the author

Vaunda Micheaux Nelson loves bringing books and children together and feels lucky to have two careers that foster this. The children's librarian and author says, "It was destined from the day I was born. My mother found my name in a novel she was reading."

Vaunda's first book, Always Gramma, was selected by the Children's Book Council as a Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies. Mayfield Crossing won the Georgia Children's Book in 1995, and Beyond Mayfield received a 1999 Parents' Choice Gold Award. Almost to Freedom, her most recent title, received a Coretta Scott King Honor for illustration in 2004. In addition, Vaunda's poetry has been published in Cricket and Cicada magazines.

Vaunda has been a teacher, newspaper reporter, bookseller, school librarian, and twice a member of the Newbery Award Committee. She holds master's degrees from The Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College, Vermont, and from the University of Pittsburgh School of Library and Information Science. Her memberships include the SCBWI, the American Library Association and the Association for Library Service to Children. The Pennsylvania native is currently the young adult librarian at a public library in New Mexico, where she lives with her husband, Drew, and two cats.

Reviews

[Prabhjot Kaur · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the biography of cowboy George Fletcher. He started riding at a young age. He had Indian friends and found a kinship with them and learnt their language. He participated in a rodeo at sixteen and went against an Indian and a white man. He should have won but the judges didn't declare him the winner as he was black instead they declared the white man the winner and the audience was outraged. He came to be known as the people's champion.

A heartwarming story with spectacular illustrations that I very much enjoyed. I also enjoyed the information shared at the end by the author.

5 stars

[Donalyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t miss the back matter with Ms. Nelson’s extensive research!

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another spectacular picture book biography! How I wish biographies were as good as this back in the 70's! One of the best researched biographies I have ever encountered. Children should find Let 'er Buck engaging and fascinating. The illustrations draw you in immediately. Lush and vibrant. Definitely award worthy.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This new children's biography featuring the 1911 Pendleton Round-up will capture hearts and minds with its down home narrative and gorgeous watercolor illustrations. Phrases like "Life at home was no bushel of peaches either" and "like a wet kitten on a warm brick" contribute a strong sense of setting as does the Rodeo and Western Words Glossary included in the book. Finally detailed bios on the main characters of the book include interesting details about the lives of the men in the book.

Thank you to Lerner Publishing for providing a digital ARC of this beautiful new biography.

[Mahlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent in every way. The oil paintings/illustrations also remind me of summers spent at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum as a teenager. <3

[Czechgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

My students and I loved this book. Very-well written. I teach 6th grade.

[Kim Hampton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's very fitting that I read this book on my late father's birthday. He was a true cowboy and loved horses and rodeo his whole life. He would have loved this book just as much as I did. I like to think that maybe he's met up with George Fletcher and swapped a few tales. I highly recommend this book to everyone. The artwork is beautiful and the story is fast paced and very entertaining.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Journey back to the Old West and meet George Fletcher!
Did you know...
-that George travelled with his family from Kansas on the Oregon Trail?
-he learned horse taming and gleaned strong friendships with children from the Umatilla Indian Reservation?
-participated in his first rodeo when he was 16?
-participated in the 1911 Pendelton Round-up, but due to racist judges, he got second place..?
Enjoy this "reads-like-fiction" biography of George's story.
Let me add, that George Fletcher's story should be a movie. It really should. Considering that 1 in 4 cowboys were either Black or Mexican, George's story deserves to be shared and told.

A Great read for Black History Month, though truly, any book by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson should be owned/read by every library, school and individual;
5 Star Acrylic artwork by award-winning illustrator, Gordon C. James!

Find out how George Fletcher became the People's Champion!

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for Librarian Book Group

I loved this picture book of history of George Fletcher who did not win the 1911 Pendelton Roundup even though he probably would have, had he not been a black man.

This book not only has an excellent voice for its subject matter, but also has incredible illustrations, all of which I would be glad to have on the walls of my imaginary high desert cabin.

There's also great back matter that is frank about how hard it was to verify information, plus a selected bibliography.

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous illustrations accompany this picture book biography. There was too much text for my three-year-old, but I enjoyed the story! All of the back matter was fantastic!

[Addy Hering · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I am a big fan of learning more about African American heritage and learning about black cowboys is a special interest of mine. I have never heard of this cowboy before, and I enjoyed the way the author wrote about him.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating picture book biography of a black cowboy and rodeo star from the early 1900s. The oil paintings did a great job of capturing the excitement of watching bronco riders try to stick to their mounts.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

George Fletcher was an incredibly talented cowboy and rider, yet he was only given second place at the 1911 Pendleton Round-Up. The author traces George's early life as his family took the Oregon Trail to the Northwest, his friendship with the children on the Umatilla Reservation, his lifelong love of horses, and the story of that historic rodeo. The illustrations capture the spirit of the horses and riders. The sense of movement comes across clearly in images of George "riding a make-believe bronco" or riding back to back on the same bucking horse with cowboy Jesse Stahl. But George's love of horses is also shown, especially in an image of young George blowing lightly into a horse's face.

Stories of individuals who persevere and follow their passion despite prejudice are always a welcome addition to classroom and library collections. It is also good to have a wider variety of individuals to read about during Black History Month than the few Civil Rights figures that most lessons focus on. Authors such as Vaunda, who research stories that have been left out of the history books, help to fill gaps in our understanding and collective knowledge.

I read an advance copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an exemplary picture book biography. The story is compelling, the tone and style are evocative of Western oral traditions, legends, "tall tales," folk tales, etc., and the illustrations are impressionistic, which adds to the feeling of hearing the story and imagining it in your head. The end materials give us lots more details and research, lending authority to the story by fleshing out the biographical and other historical details. The story itself speaks to systemic racism and whitewashing of cowboy iconography by creating the feeling of an incredible talent, up against the odds of an unjust system, who ultimately wins the public's support for their incredible skill.

I couldn't shake the feeling that this would have been a perfect awesome Reading Rainbow book. It just has that feeling of a great read-aloud with evocative pictures.

As a Mock Newbery pick, I'll be interested to see what others think and debate, but my first impression is that this is too simple to be a true contender this year. It really has one character and one scene that's fleshed out, and the character development and plot arc doesn't cover enough of Fletcher's life or the history of rodeo to really be feature-length in details.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating biography about a little known historical figure. The oil illustrations nicely portray movement in the story and the panels that look like silent film cards are probably my favorite part. I really love how this ended and the wealth of additional information at the end.

[DaNae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy a good competition story. Nelson does a lovely job setting the stage for this rodeo and delivering the action.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here's an important and thrilling non-fiction title I've been saving (and renewing) since the first week of February. It popped up in more than one blog post during Black History Month, earning multiple starred reviews. As much as I loved it, I waited to share it until that theme had blown away on a gusty March wind. LET 'ER BUCK: GEORGE FLETCHER, THE PEOPLE'S CHAMPION is written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and illustrated by Gordon C. James. If ever there were a hidden history story that needed to be told, this is it. This dramatic account reveals the amazing life (and skills) of African-American George Fletcher, who grew up in the Pacific Northwest in the first decades of the twentieth century. He learned early to weather the taunts (and worse) from white neighbors, finding friends on the Umatilla Indian Reservation where he learned the ways of the horses, rough-riding and bouncing back regardless of how tough the landing.
This depiction of his early years and the 1911 Pendleton Round-Up stars George, but also nods to the talents and roles of Jackson Sundown (Nez Perce tribe), John Spain (the judges' favorite contestant- who just happened to be white) and Sheriff Tillman Taylor (with a strong sense of justice).
This book deserves attention for the vivid depiction of a dramatic time and place, for the page-turning tension of the culminating events, and for the densely saturated colors and action-packed scenes that leap from the pages like a 3-D movie.
Only better.
Each page feels like it could be framed as fine art, yet it urges readers onward to follow George's compelling life. James is as adept and artful with hoof-flinging, muscular horses, tails flying and nostrils flaring, as he is when rendering a full-page foreground image of young George's beaming smile while riding all-out down the dusty main road in town. You will want to fly through these pages, and you should do so. Then, reread and linger in the notes at the back, revealing even more details about the various players and the research that provides the foundation for the book.
Finally, return again to savor the art.

But you're not through yet. This is one of those powerful picture books that can be pulled out time and again for many reasons, including poetry month. It is not written in rhyme or verse, but "boy howdy" the language captures the time, place, and personalities with humor and brilliance. The author adopts a voice that drips with colloquialisms that fit the story like a glove but could also serve as mentor text for poetry, figurative language, or any genre. At times it reads as intentionally gaudy and humorous, then drops into subtle expressions that beg to be read aloud:
Life at home was no bushel of peaches.
George took to their ways like a wet kitten to a warm brick.
Life in the saddle and riding rough were all George hankered for.
He rode the buck out of the bruiser but... their dance spilled onto the sidewalk.
Capturing and balancing just the right tone in word choice, direct narrative, and authentic language is enhanced by the art designer's shifts in font, sizing, page layout, and text colors. This is a book you shouldn't miss. I'm risking a prediction here that the ear-dancing text and eye-candy illustrations will have this title rounding up lots of attention (and medals and honors) come award season. Once you read it, I'm betting you'll be recommending it, too. In February, in April, and all year long.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

George Fletcher moved to Pendleton, Oregon, a place where there weren’t a lot of African-Americans. He made friends with the children from the Umatilla Indian Reservation and learned how to train horses with gentleness. George started riding in competitions at age 16, though he was often shut out of competitions because of the color of his skin or judged unfairly. He got his chance to really show off his skill at the 1911 Pendleton Round-Up, the biggest rodeo in the Northwest. He made the top three finalists for the Saddle Bronc Championship. He outrode the other two competitors, and when the white person was named champion the crowd booed. One man in the crowd decided it wasn’t alright and sold small pieces of George’s hat to the crowd for $5 each. He turned the money over to George and it ended up being more than the grand prize. George was crowned the “People’s Champion” that day.

Nelson writes with a lovely western twang in this nonfiction picture book. She captures the spirit of the west in the words she uses and in particular in her metaphors. George took to the ways of the Umatilla tribes “like a wet kitten to a warm brick.” Ranching suited George “like made-to-measure boots.” These are just two examples of the vivid way that Nelson uses language to firmly place her book in its setting. She also creates a compelling portrait of Fletcher and faces the inherent racism of the system head on.

The illustrations by James are full of color and motion. Created with oil on board, they are a stunning mix of movement, depth and history. One can almost see the action playing out from the lines he uses. Stunning

A strong picture book about racism, horses, rodeos and heroism. Appropriate for ages 4-8.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let 'er Buck!: George Fletcher, the People's Champion is a children's picture book written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and illustrated by Gordon C. James. It introduces his readers to African-American cowboy George Fletcher.

Nelson's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Nelson introduces readers to George as a boy learning his craft on the Umatilla Indian Reservation near Pendleton, where his family settled after moving from Kansas. Backmatter includes an extensive author’s note, which delves deeper into the lives of Fletcher, his competitors, and the fair-minded sheriff, Tillman Taylor. A glossary of rodeo and western words and a selected bibliography are also included. James' broad brush strokes paint expressive faces and dynamic scenes of horse and rider.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Living in Pendleton, Oregon at the turn of the twentieth century, Fletcher suffered meanness and hurt because of his skin color and also found a kinship with children from the Umatilla Indian Reservation and watched the tribal horsemen and listened well.

Most of the book focuses on Fletcher's entry in the 1911 Pendleton Round-Up, the Northwest's largest rodeo, where Fletcher lost the bronco riding finals despite a show-stealing ride. The local sheriff, sensing prejudice in the judges' decision, raised prize money on the spot for Fletcher, who was dubbed the People's Champion.

All in all, Let 'er Buck!: George Fletcher, the People's Champion is a triumphant tale of fairness trumping prejudice for a wrangler extraordinaire in the story of George Fletcher.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This outstanding picture book has me wishing for a lot more stars to heap on it!

I've been waiting impatiently for this book and while it was worth the wait, I wish also that I'd had it sooner and been able to talk about it at conference presentations. Everything comes together in this picture book biography and it is truly a stellar example of the form! Vaunda Micheaux Nelson's writing is wonderfully crafted. It's colloquial style provides an evocative sense of the time and place and she gifts readers with an enthralling look at an inspiring character and a heart-warming event where justice triumphed over small-mindedness and bigotry. Nelson's research into Fletcher and the event chronicled is just as inspiring and the back matter that includes a note on the research and extensive additional information on the individuals in the book is just as well done as the main story. Terms, period photographs and bibliography are also included.

The icing on the cake is the magnificent illustrations by Gordon C. James. I loved his book Crown: an Ode to a Fresh Cut and James continues to shine with these stunning oil on board paintings! I could almost taste the dust in the air and hear the sounds of the horses and the crowds and Nelson imbues his subjects with a tangible sense of both reality and dignity. Move over Charles Russell!

I can't say enough about this book. It deserves a wide reading and as many accolades as possible.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fine picture book biography about a personality from the wild west from Vaunda...

"Let 'er buck!" George Fletcher did what was necessary to survive growing up in the early 1900's in Pendleton, OR. As there were few Black children in OR, George was subjected to racism by townspeople, so associated mostly with the nearby Native American tribes who accepted him. He discovered he had a talent for riding horses and a true love for riding wild horses and bucking broncos. He became well-known locally and respected for his prowess in riding broncs, leading up to the 1911 Pendleton Round-Up, when he was one of three finalists - alongside a Nez Perce Indian and a white rancher.

Nelson does a nice job of building up the drama of this contest and its surprising results. Her use of western vernacular grounds this solidly. It reads like a western movie for the current generation. (Hollywood should take note of this!) Everyone will want to boo the bad guy and cheer for the hero, George. The book's format includes full pages of large font text and a variety of sizes of font to show levels of enthusiasm, setting the pace for reading the book. Award-winning illustrator Gordon C. James' oil on board illustrations are full of colors of the west and liveliness of action. A perfect pairing!

Great for fans of horses and cowboys seeking some diversity.

Highly Recommended for PreSchool-grade 3.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you can pull off a western-cowboy accent, this will be great fun to read aloud to a group of kids ages 7 to 10. The full-bleed oil paint illustrations will be dramatic from across a room, and even the spot illustrations highlighting a detail relevant to the story will be legible at that distance.

The danger of the sport and the skill required are emphasized, making the text compelling and riveting.

So this would be a great choice for a classroom read-aloud...if you can pull off the voice!

Nelson also used rodeo lingo, explained in a 31-item glossary in the back-matter. For me, it is sometimes overdone, for example, if I have to look up 5 obscure vocabulary words on one page. Bronc, bruiser, bucker, outlaw, & rough stock all seem to be near-synonyms, so even when I *thought* I knew the general sense of the word, I had to look to the glossary to figure out why every sentence used a new word.

A kid reading this alone might gloss over the lingo and just "enjoy the ride" - so I'm including it in our Picture Book Biographies display.

It could be nicely paired with Black Heroes of the Wild West, a graphic novel covering the same time period, with some overlap in topic, but a very different style.

Both works seem to be well-researched & documented.

[Sarah Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book, worth reading for the striking, smooth, and vibrant illustrations from Gordon C. James alone. James is already an icon in my book for illustrating Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut (2017), one of my favorite picture books of the last few years. And in Let ’Er Buck his mastery is on full display. The oil paintings seem to move even though they are static there on the pages. The effect is to make the action scenes, especially of the cowboys riding, almost come alive by capturing the movement with art.

I was a little less enamored with the text, however. I felt like there was too much text crammed together with many a loss opportunity to pair with a visual. The upper reading level picture book is a tricky one to balance information and writing with comprehension level and enough illustrations. Here I felt like there was maybe a bit too much writing, which bogged down the story and slowed the momentum of the illustration. Still, this was a joyful, exquisite story with artwork that could hang in a museum but, more important, reach you through the two-dimensional page.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gordon James' illustrations of George Fletcher the African American rancher, and bucking bronco hero team up perfectly with this little known tale. When George's family moved to Pendleton, Oregon he experienced prejudice and bullying from the mostly white population. However, he did find friendship and kindness in the Umatilla Indian Reservation, nearby. The ranchers showed him how to work successfully with horses, and before long he became an expert rodeo competitor. When he competed in one of the biggest rodeo competition the Saddle Bronc Championship, he once again experienced prejudice, from the judges. This is a terrific story of how justice pervails, even in the face of ugly rascism. The author includes a glossary of Rodeo words, a comprehensive historical mini biography of George Fletcher, and his competitors in this famous Saddle Bronc Championship rodeo, Jackson Sundown from the Nez Perce tribe, and John Spain. Sheriff Tillman Taylor's mini biography is also included, highlighting his integrity when the judges were unfair, plus a comprehensive bibliography. This remarkable tale will make a great read aloud with its engaging pictures and surprise ending.

[Carol V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cowgirls and cowboys, get ready, we are going to the rodeo with this read! What a perfect book about an individual who has a dream, sets goals, and works hard to do his/her very best. The main event of this story centers around the 1911 Pendleton Round-Up. Three finalists compete in the bronc busting event, a Native American, a White man, and an African-American. The judges (inaccurately) score the white man as the winner, but everyone knew the award belonged to George Fletcher, the black man. He was the People's Champion. This story tells of his amazing life. The images are painted so realistically. It's a great piece of history, seldom told.

The author includes historical and research information in the back of the book. There is also a Rodeo and Western Words glossary. How fun would it be for students to take an expression and draw or paint an illustration for that expression/word?

[Natasha Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let ‘Er Buck! George Fletcher, the People’s Champion
JANUARY 17, 2019 in children's picture books

Let ‘Er Buck! George Fletcher, the People’s Champion by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson is a wonderful picture book about the true story of George Fletcher.

The illustrations are done in what appears to be an oil painting effect, which adds to the books overall appeal and character. The vibrant colors, soft detail, and the excellent use of brush strokes to direct the eye towards the action, really excite me.

This book will appeal to teachers to looking to create lesson plans as it mentions other cowboys of color who may not be as well known. The book also features a wonderful glossary of rodeo and western words students would love.

Overall, Let ‘Er Buck George Fletcher, the People’s Champion is a wonderful children’s non-fiction book full about a man that may not be as known as he should be. This is a wonderful way to introduce children to lesser-known black history figures.

[Teresa Bateman · Rating 4 out of 5]

George Fletcher was an African-American cowboy back in the early 1900's. Unfortunately, discrimination cut into his chances for winning. At times this was subtle, at other times blatant. At the 1911 Pendleton Round-Up he competed in the Saddle Bronc Championship against two reknowned bronc-busters. Despite an impressive ride he was given second place. The crowd objected, declared him the People's Champion, and donated money to give him his due. Pendleton erected a statue to Fletcher in 2014. This well-researched book has a solid glossary of cowboy terms, as well as brief biographies of the featured riders, and the sheriff who took action to right a perceived wrong. There's an extensive bibliography as well. The text is filled with lively language, and the illustrations seem to be in motion. A nice book about a little-known subject.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

When George Fletcher was a little boy, he lived near a reservation, and made many friends there. One game he love to play was riding a barrel pulled back and forth like a bucking bronco. Eventually he was riding the real thing and entering Rodeos and shows. At age 21, he made it to the final three of an important Saddle Bronc competition. It was George, Jackson Sundown (a Nez Perce Indian) and a white rancher named John Spain. Whether or not George can win this competition has more riding on it that a wild horse or a cowboy's skill. George was African American, and the cards were often stacked against him.

Gordon James beautiful and expressive illustrations bring the reader right into the action. A wonderful story of triumph and succeeding against the odds.

Visit this and more of my reviews at https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I *loved* this book, from the down-homey language, to the depiction of a cowboy who does his best despite facing constant racism, to the surprise ending (the judges give him 2nd place to the white guy, but the sheriff sells pieces of George's hat and he ends up with more than the winner because the crowd thought he should have won). I also liked the rough painting illustrations, especially the horses to illustrate "The broncs were about half wild." And finally, I liked the end notes: the fuller overview of not only George's life, but his competitors on that fateful 1911 day, and the sheriff. It also notes the conflicting and dearth of information the author dealt with in writing this. It reminded me a lot of "Bad News for Outlaws" about Bass Reeves (which I also really liked), and it turns out that both are by the same author!

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

“George had to buck up and get tough at an early age.”

The story of George Fletcher, a bronc rider and cowboy of color, who faced discrimination at an early age. He grew up in the mostly white community of Pendleton, Oregon. He made friends with the children from the Umatilla Indian Reservation and from the tribal horsemen, he learned how to handle horses.

The story focuses on the Saddle Bronc Championship at the 1911 Pendleton Round-up. A competition in which the judges showed clear prejudice in naming the white cowboy the winner. Sheriff Tillman Taylor and the crowd named Fletcher the People’s Champion.

Includes a glossary of “Rodeo and Western Words” an extensive bibliography and additional information on all the key players in the story: George Fletcher, Jackson Sundown, John Spain and Tillman Taylor.